HC gives 2 more weeks to police to probe J Dey case

Mumbai, Jun 21: The Bombay High Court today (Jun 21) directed the city police to file a report by July 6 on the progress of investigations into the murder of senior journalist Jyotirmoy Dey.

The direction was issued by Justice Ranjana Desai and Justice R V More after they perused a confidential report and relevant files submitted by the police concerning the killing of Dey by unidentified assailants in suburban Powai on June 11.

"Please convey our anxiety to the investigating officers and file a further report on progress in the probe," Justice Ranjana Desai told Advocate General Ravi Kadam who was asked by the bench to personally argue in the matter.

Hearing petitions filed by advocate V P Patil, former scribe Ketan Tirodkar and S Balakrishnan, Editor of a city tabloid "Deshbhakti Andolan", who are seeking CBI probe, the bench had on June 16 asked the police to submit a status report on probe.

The Court had allowed Mumbai Press Club and Marathi Patrakar Parishad, who are also seeking transfer of probe to CBI, to intervene and file affidavits, if required.

The petitioners and intervenors told the court today they were not in favour of police getting two more weeks to probe further and argued that just one week would be enough.

However, Justice Desai remarked, "We feel some more time should be given to police to investigate. They have made efforts and are awaiting something. When investigating agencies are working, the courts do not interfere but if we find they have not done a proper job then we will take them to task."

PTI